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The Chicago Bears advanced to the playoffs for the second time in the three seasons with Matt Nagy as the head coach in 2020, but the franchise lost in the wild card round both times. Chicago finished 8-8 last season before falling to the New Orleans Saints in the postseason.
Offense was definitely the issue last season especially in the passing game, but the Bears will enter a new era at the quarterback position without Mitchell Trubisky. Chicago ranked No. 27 in yards per play last season, and they will roll into the season with Andy Dalton, Justin Fields and Nick Foles. Nagy has said Dalton will be the starter Week 1, but it’s probably a matter of time before Fields takes over as the future of the franchise.
Chicago Bears Super Bowl 56 odds: +5000
The Bears made the playoffs last season despite one of the worst offenses in the sport, so there is certainly talent on this roster if they can finally get the quarterback position right as a franchise. We should see quite a bit of Fields during the preseason as he gets his professional career started, and it will be interesting to see how the Bears handle their QB situation throughout the season.
Defensive should be the strength as it traditionally has been for a long time with this team. This unit ranked No. 10 in yards per play allowed in 2020, and they can probably improve on that this season. Chicago’s defense will be led by a new defensive coordinator with Sean Desai as he is set to replace Chuck Pagano, who retired following last season. The franchise cleared some cap space this offseason, and part of that plan was releasing cornerback Kyle Fuller. The Bears will look to replace his high level of production.
Regardless of who lines up at quarterback for the majority of games in 2021, it is highly unlikely the Bears will make a run at the Super Bowl, and that is reflected on the odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. Still, the franchise is probably in a better spot than it was at this point last season with a clear quarterback of the future on the roster with Fields.
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